Agriculture Minister Roland Royer has said the government of Dominica remains steadfast in its commitment to investing in agriculture as a pillar of the nation’s economic development.
The minister was addressing a press conference held at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room this week.
“By prioritizing sustainable agricultural practices, enhancing productivity, and supporting local farmers the government aims to strengthen food security, create job opportunities and promote rural development,” he said. “These investments not only contribute to the resilience of Dominica’s agricultural sector in the face of climate change, but also foster long-term economic stability and prosperity for the entire country.”
According to Royer, through continued support the government ensures that agriculture will remain a vital and thriving part of Dominica’s future.
He announced that the journey of the agriculture livelihood and climate resilience project has been marked by significant milestones underpinned by resilience and adaptability.
“In April 2020, the project activated its first contingency emergency response component allocating US$3.6 Million to strengthen food security and health systems amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic,” Royer explained.
He continued, “In April 2023, a second response component was activated, directing US$8Million towards addressing food security which was provided as a loan.”
He said these measures highlight the project’s ability to adapt to global challenges while remaining focused on its core objectives.
Furthermore, he revealed that as of January 2024 the project has expended 70 percent of its revised budget of US$36.6 Million, which equals EC$98.8 Million.
“Achievements under this project are both numerous and impactful through the distribution of inputs to 3713 farmers,” he revealed. “Over 400 acres of farmland have been restored.”
He mentioned that livestock farming has also been restored and has seen tremendous support with building materials provided for over 120 structures, benefiting a wide range of farmers and supporting the local economy.
“Further achievements include the completion of eight major infrastructural projects such as, the north east agricultural extension office, the Salisbury irrigation system and a tissue culture hardening facility at One Mile,” Royer explained.
He also pointed out that under the food security contingency response animal feed was distributed and contracts were secured for greenhouses, hydroponics systems and agro processing equipment.
“These efforts have been instrumental in strengthening food security and ensuring the livelihoods of our agricultural stakeholders,” he stated.
Royer emphasized that this agricultural livelihood project is more than a recovery program, it is a blueprint for developing a sustainable agricultural sector, “addressing immediate needs and laying the groundwork for long-term resilience paves the way for Dominica’s agricultural sector to contribute EC$700 Million to GDP by 2030.”
This he said is not merely a target, it is a shared vision for a stronger self-reliant Dominica.
So, globally the top three exporters of bananas are Ecuador, India, and Guatemala: Ecuador leads the world in the export of bananas with 687,469 shipments followed by India shipment of 600,581, and Guatemala in third place with 354,456 shipments. Based on Volza’s Uganda Export data, Uganda exported 138 shipments of Bananas from Jan. 2022-Dec. 2023. These export were made by fifty ( 52) two Ugandan exporters to fifty (51) one buyers, marketing growth rate of 106% compared to the preceding twelve months period. In Dec. 2023 eight export shipment were made from Uganda, which marks a year-on-year growth.
Most of the exported bananas from Uganda went to Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan (Note in Africa)!
The British imports their Bananas from Columbia-($535M), Costa Rica ($107M), The Dominican Republic- ($59.4M), Ecuador-($44.8M), and from Cameroon-($41.7).
How much will Roosevelt and Roland ship, and to where, is their market?
I really dont know why mister got involved with the corrupt cabal. Good man with good wife allowed himself to be contaminated by high level thieves. Sad sad indeed.
Your rhetorical nonsense is that of an idiot okay! We know that you can’t be referring to the usual Bananas, or any traditional agricultural products grown in Dominica, that could become pillar of the country!
For your information, just in case you have forgotten, you do not have a market in England anymore for Bananas: all of the other underground products you grow, there are no international markets to accommodate it, you can only sell them in Barbados, Antigua, St. Maarten (Martin) whereas all the islands from Jamaica in the north to Guyana in the south produces the same agricultural products!
Mind you such staples are only consumed in North America, and England by Caribbean people. Now if you start planning grains, and can compete internationally, maybe only then agriculture might become a pillar of Dominica. Stop talking and listening to your own garbage, the sale of passports industry, cannot last forever; eventually it must, and will come to a climax!
Silly incompetent.
Empty talk! Just like a bag of coal dust and cigarette ash! The only investment the Government of Dominica is Self-Investment – feathering their own nest.
Banana was the country’s child agricultural export. It is non-existent today. This government has claimed diseases are the cause if its demise. St. Lucia is just a stone- throw away. Yet they have a thriving banana industry. What’s the difference. It’s obvious, LEADERSHIP.
Failing governments are over-managed and under-led. This is precisely the case in Dominica with Roosevelt at the helm. We must elect people to lead us not to rule us.
The widespread inaction and indifference that pervades the country at
present, tells me that Dominicans have surrendered the country to a despot.
Reading this leaves me to wonder is he talking about the agricultural system where bananas were shipped weekly and farmers like myself sold and truck bananas compared to what exists today ? Farmers go begging buskers to buy plantains only to be told only two hundred pounds of worse not this week. Farmers are in the market begging for sale and one wonders with so many who are they selling to? Many times I would call a hukster and the answer was call me tomorrow or I will call you Saturday .The call or answer never comes
Hector, that guy is just another incompetent idiot, blowing wet fart!
What he is doing is trying to impress their dumb supporters talking about “is labor I laboring every time I go in gayden (garden) so I voting labor.
What he’s doing is simply using a dangling carrot in their faces to generate some kind of hope that they the Labor party can bring back bananas to its glory days!
They are doing things like giving away fertilizer to their supporters, whilst certain farmers with many acres of cultivated land are overlooked! One guy I can name; I will not, because if I do it might cause him to suffer more victimization.
Around 1980 to present the Jamaicans rid their country of the curse and hardship suffered from Bananas!
It is a game Roosevelt and that stupid balled-head: hahahaha; guy playing; well right now I have a balled head too, but I don’t look stupid like him! They get their wealth from the sale of passports, while laughing at the poor farmers farming wasting time.
How do we get from these funds to make a difference with our farming?
With all the talk, what you need to do is give us the raw data (in $$$$$$$) stating the contribution of agriculture to the national economy. We will see for ourselves what you are saying.
Agriculture was sidelined by Skerrit for a number of years. It was totally dead, as passport sales became the backbone of the economy. Now you babble rubbish like this corrupt Skerrit led DLP has just entered office!!!!!
Even when you receive “raw data” you will still have some more BS to say, like: “dem man cook de books” or “lies dat!” You do not want data because the data do not fit your narrative and will likely result in increased palpitations to you. If you want data, call the Ministry, check the Government website, check IMF and World Bank data bank. Nah, you doh want no patat data.
@Putin
Sorry, but i must call you an arrant fool. You dont understand what is raw data.
Tell me which lines or lines there is any data showing the contribution of agriculture to the national economy.
DNO, pls ask the nominated parl rep whats the update on the coffee plant on the PM road to viex caise ??